Automation is fast becoming the name of the game in all major industries. Technology has scaled to the point where aspiring entrepreneurs can now run a full-scale property operation that would have once taken the work of an entire staff of people.

It’s no different for homeowners, renters, and any host or property manager out there looking to find guests. Professionalization is the name of the game in the vacation rental space, and the best way to stay ahead is to automate operations. There is vast opportunity everywhere to thrive, grow and scale operations utilizing the right types of technology.

Here are a few examples of the services professional property managers can automate.

Automate prices to increase revenue yield.

Dynamic pricing is a cornerstone of the hospitality industry, changing prices to adapt for market demand. This allows hotels and airlines the best pricing recommendations possible for many factors that influence travel for every season and situation. Hosts and property managers are understanding the value of dynamic pricing, and have begun applying these principles to the vacation rental industry.

With Wheelhouse, dynamic pricing allows you to set prices that span the entire upcoming calendar year. Wheelhouse believes in the power of big data, building a model with dozens of pricing factors and millions of price inputs to provide Airbnb hosts with the best possible recommendations through the calendar year.

There’s a strategy that works for the needs of every individual property manager. If a host’s time is at a premium, Wheelhouse allows you to automate prices and let the algorithm go to work to generate rates dynamically. If a host wants to get hands-on, Wheelhouse allows you to customize prices based on whatever professional knowledge you enjoy. Pricing automation has never been more crucial to improving overall yield, and Wheelhouse is the best tool for those services!

Once the portfolio begins expanding, it might make sense to grow beyond native channels. Thankfully, property management software helps automate these processes on a wider scale.

Property management software can help you manage listings to streamline operations. This allows hosts to distribute properties across multiple channels to ensure the greatest visibility possible, to manage communications and reporting with guests during the post-booking process, and to report financials for ensuring accounting practices are in-tune.

The best news is that there are multiple property management systems like Guesty, BookingSync and MyVR that can integrate with pricing software like Wheelhouse. For those with large inventory, utilizing both dynamic pricing and property management software to ensure that listing yield potential is being maximized!

Automate communications to provide direct contact with guests.

Communication is critical for quality service between host and guest. Customers want to feel valued throughout their journey from booking to check-in to stay time to check-out.

Thankfully, there are multiple guest communication tools you can use to automate messaging. This eliminates the stress of having to draw up original conversations for every interaction between host and guest and ensures you are ready for more rapid, high-quality responses.

Automated guest communications with services like Smartbnb provides you with the flexibility to build templates for common inquiries, touch base on every aspect of the customer experience, and (if you reach a big enough size), have dedicated account managers who can build the appropriate documentation for needed services. Property management systems like Guesty also provide solid guest communications as well.

Automate home services to ensure the best stay experience.

One of the major concerns for hosts is whether the guest actually is enjoying their experience. It’s unlikely they will receive a ton of input after the actual check-in that isn’t negative. By that point, it’s too late to make changes that can positively impact future reviews.

This is where home technology plays a major role. Installing smart devices within the actual unit should ensure that the stay remains ideal as possible.

Smart locks like August eliminate the need for physical keys, providing a hands-off host-to-guest experience.

Smart noise monitoring like NoiseAware to ensures hosts are aware of the amount of noise their guests are making.

Hosts now can install smart thermostats like Nest, to ensure their units are effectively heated while conserving energy as best as possible.

You can control smart lights like Philips Hue with Google Home to ensure customers the maximum amount of comfort during their stay, while tracking and optimizing energy conversation.

Smart speakers like Sonos allow guests to understand their location better and connect their own devices as well to sit back and relax.

Automate maintenance with cleaning services

Often what causes the most logistical headaches for hosts is ensuring the house is tidied up and ready to go for the next reservation. The nightmare for any property manager is a guest opening their door to see used towels and piled-up blankets pushed all over the place.

Utilizing professional cleaning services like Properly ensure the booking is in tip-top shape to start is a definite must-have. This allows for a multitude of necessary services, including deep cleans, restocking supplies, damage notifications, and auto-scheduling clean times. Being proactive with cleans ensures the transition from one stay to the next goes as seamlessly as possible.

When running late, automate

Automation doesn’t come free. Professional property managers will have to pay for all of these services. But the benefits far outweigh the costs, as they get their time and peace of mind back. Pricing, property management, cleaning, communication and guest experience are all optimized and ready to roll for every stay to power the host.